Steam Cloud - Shared Stash ??!

[Abstract-Player]

Hello


I have some problems with my shared stash. I play the game at two different computers and I use the Steam cloud to access my savegames.

Normally I didn't used the shared stash - or I was not checking if everything is ok. But these days I had a problem with one mod.. and now I've checked everything and realized the problems with the shared stash.


At the two different computers I have two different shared stashes (with only one character/savegame at the moment)? While using same mods at both computers..

The stash at computer 1 is full of items.. the stash at computer 2 had other items. Today I've deleted all savegames (saves, modsaves) at computer 2. So Steam had to download everything from cloud again. But now at this computer the shared stash is empty!?


Question 1:

Is Steam saving the shared stash files in the cloud? It don't looks like that.


Question 2:

I'm using BAGMOD. It just makes the stahes and the inventory bigger. Could that cause any problems with the cloud? It's inconvenient to check it by myself.. because the computers are located in different places. And I don't want risk to lose items if I disable the mod.. :/


Greetings

[MageThis]

Are the mods in the exact same order on the two systems? I'm thinking if system 1 is fine, perhaps you have a order problem on system 2? An easy fix, for future play after initial problem is solved, is to usb the tl2 save/mod save, .restore, .temp. stash/shared stash files and manually transfer them (turn the Cloud off). Then you would always have backups in case some file gets pooched.
Oh, and yes Steam Cloud copies the stash/shared stash.

[Abstract-Player]

All the mods are in same order.


Confusing me!

At computer 1 I was playing in the morning. Then Steam did uploads to the cloud. And now at computer 2 I deleted first the directories save & modsave.. after that I started Steam and it downloaded everything from cloud.

Result: The shared stash is empty.

Maybe there is something wrong with the upload at computer 1 - but only with the shared stash. Everything is fine with the char level, skills, items/inventory, spells, the pet, quests and the char-position on the map (where I left the game).

[MageThis]

So, copy the files from system 1. Turn Cloud off at system 2 (make backups, of course) copy files, including shared stash to system 2 and you should be fine. Use manual USB transfer to avoid Cloud glitches, In your case, to start, all you need to manually transfer is the shared stash file. Then, Plan B.

[Abstract-Player]

That's not the problem.. I did it all the time with my TL2-mod-folders and other files too.. and I will give it a try.

But this can be a workaround only. After that the cloud must work again! I don't want transfer the files manually several times each day.

[MageThis]

The Cloud, like any remote storage (the Cloud is just a fluffier name) will pooch just like every other technology. So, you need backups anyway. You could try: verify file integrity on both machines; after backups, re-installing Steam on both machines. Get both systems in sync and then initiate the Cloud again. G.L.

[Abstract-Player]

I have tested around now a lot with & without mods by the following steps:


Delete files in SteamCloud:

1) Start Steam
2) Start game (main menu)
3) Switch back to desktop
4) Delete save & modsave directories
5) Close game
6) Steam will sync cloud
7) Close Steam

Now SteamCloud has no more TL2-files. Check it by starting Steam again and let it sync from cloud: No files will be downloaded to the TL2-savegame-directories.


Try both.. with mods and without mods:

All mods, some mods, one mod.. no matter if they touch stashes or not.

1) Start Steam
2) Steam will sync cloud
3) Start game & create new char
4) Rush through first level & take loot from chests
5) Rush to next "city"
6) Put 1 item to each pet inventory, stash & shared stash
7) Close game
8) Steam will sync to cloud
9) Close Steam

Now you will find the char-file and the sharedstash-file (and some backup files) in save-directory (vanilla / without mods) or modsave (with mods).


Delete local savegames and restart Steam:

1) Delete save & modsave-directories
2) Start Steam and let it sync from cloud

--> Normal without mods (save):

3) You fill find the "save" directory with the char-file(s) and the sharedstash_v2-file.

--> With mods (modsave):

3) You fill find the "modsave" directory with the char-file(s). But there is no sharedstash_v2-file.

There is maybe the settings-file in "save". Steam will not sync any backup-files.


I don't know why.. but Steam definitively will NOT save the shared stash in the cloud if you are using mods.

Somehow stupid in my eyes.

Best workaround could be to switch from TL2-main-menu to desktop, copy the sharedstash_v2-file from modsave to save-directory.. and close TL2 then.. because Steam will sync the files in save-directory to cloud. At the next computer copy the file back to modsave after Steam start&sync.. :/


Greetings

[MageThis]

No. Something is still pooched. The Steam Cloud WILL save the shared stash files whether you are playing mod or no mods. I mean could you imagine the number of posts (so many people play with mods and use the Cloud {remote storage} that this site would be flooded with your problem.
This may read really stupid but after Exiting the game do you use the Steam icon in the SysTray to exit Steam... that is what initiates the Cloud save, although if you power down most often your system still has time to send the files. On really fast systems users do not even see the "application open" error. That should cause a problem on both systems but something weird is happening here.
Interesting tests, though, and quite thorough. I like the save the mod save *v2 file to the save directory.. unique.
Have you followed my previous post and verified integrity of files. launch; test. If fail, then Delete and re-install Steam? Obviously, on both systems.

[Abstract-Player]

Originally posted by MageThis:

The Steam Cloud WILL save the shared stash files whether you are playing mod or no mods.

I will test this again at home. But it looks that Steam is not syncing sharedstash in modsave.. as I wrote above.. after 20-30 tests.

Maybe a problem with "sharedstash" and "sharedstash_v2". I think the devs made a update some times where they implant the newer _v2 version. As I reinstalled the game some weeks ago.. Steam downloaded some of my old vanilla-characters.. and there I found the "sharedstash" file (without _v2).

Maybe they forgot to update the file names at the mod folders within the sync-process. Someone must tell Steam what to sync..

Originally posted by MageThis:

I mean could you imagine the number of posts (so many people play with mods and use the Cloud {remote storage} that this site would be flooded with your problem.

Yes.. but how many of the cloud users really use several computers? And how many of them play Torchlight 2? And how many of them play with mods? And how many of these peoples check if they have probs?

This restricts the amount of players which could "spam" the forums with bug-reports.

And I have read about shared stash problems at the mods section of TL2 where players lost some or all of their items. But they assume that the problems are caused by the mods (what is not the case here).

Originally posted by MageThis:

after Exiting the game do you use the Steam icon in the SysTray to exit Steam..

Steam main menu -> quit/close/exit -> only if the sync process is finished (what you can see in games list).

Originally posted by MageThis:

.. that is what initiates the Cloud save

You're wrong. Steam start syncing to cloud always if you close the game. Steam is not waiting till you try to close Steam.

Originally posted by MageThis:

if you power down most often your system still has time to send the files. On really fast systems users do not even see the "application open" error. That should cause a problem on both systems but something weird is happening here.

Hehe, nice try! ^^

Originally posted by MageThis:

I like the save the mod save *v2 file to the save directory.. unique.

This is only a good idea, if you don't use your vanilla-sharedstash for vanilla-chars. xD

But I need to testit, if this is really working.

Originally posted by MageThis:

Have you followed my previous post and verified integrity of files. launch; test. If fail, then Delete and re-install Steam? Obviously, on both systems.

In 2 hours it's home time and weekend for me. Then I will give that another try. Here at work Steam is fresh installed.


BTW: Thank you for your help and ideas!

[Abstract-Player]

Update: Same here at home. Steam is NOT loading the shared stash from cloud. It's still the old one from yesterday morning (or if I delete the file and sync then.. there is no shared stash file and a new one will be created if I load the savegame).

I think Steam has no commands to upload this file to the cloud.

Maybe a bug. Or maybe for compatibility reasons - if you play with different mods on different computers.

Crazy that nobody else found that out before.. ^^

[MageThis]

Could you list the Mods and the load order.. this must be something really weird.
BTW: and this is something telling: you state that "Steam is NOT loading the stash from cloud" and if you examine your following comments what Steam does not seem to be doing is "updating" or, really, you would not have a shared stash progress to a point where you could identify losing it. And, yeah, permutations (different mods/timezone, computers) Time zone was a joke.

[Abstract-Player]

I'm using Bag Mod, Better Loot Colors, The Endless Dungeon, Expansion Cam Zoom, Ember Gem Upgrade, Minimalistic Loot Borders and Unsable Items Are Red (all in this order). But I've tested with all and with just one of them.

Load order doesn't matters. Good examples are "Better Loot Colors" or "Expansion Cam Zoom".. because they don't touch the shared stash (size or pages or what ever else).

Originally posted by MageThis:

BTW: and this is something telling: you state that "Steam is NOT loading the stash from cloud" and if you examine your following comments what Steam does not seem to be doing is "updating" or, really, you would not have a shared stash progress to a point where you could identify losing it.

That's right (if I get you right). I cannot see the sync progress of a single file.

Fact is: If you lose your local modsave/xyz/sharedstash_v2-files (by accident, fresh install, virus, harddisk errors).. then Steam will not (or can not) restore these files from cloud.

The reason for that is beyond my knowledge.

Peoples can use this as a warning.. or not.. :)

[MageThis]

But the main use, from my perspective, of Steam Cloud would be to sync two or more computers. Someone who has more than one system and plays on both could maintain the same shared stash otherwise what would be the purpose?